SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

The True Spirit of the Two Ancestors 63training itself.Ó [Zen is Eternal Life, 1999 edition, p. 187.] Sincethese practices correspond to Original Enlightenment, they areunending. As a result of realizing enlightenment, we continue tomeditate; as a result of realizing Buddhahood, we continue totrain. Serene reflection meditation, which is the completeliberation of body and mind, means that the whole of oneselfbecomes the Dharma and living embodiment of the Buddhasand Ancestors.Great Master Keizan wrote in his ÒZazen Yojinki,Ó ÒThetrue mind of meditation is not one which waits for enlightenment,Óand in his Denk‡roku, ÒThe performance of meritoriousdeeds not free from the laws of karma (cause and effect, J. uikug‡), will not lead to untainted Buddhahood. If we seekBuddhahood we must return to the source of life. Religiouspractice which waits for enlightenment does not lead toBuddhahood.Ó Thus, Great Master Keizan, like Great MasterD‡gen, rejected the Sung idea of a meditation practice whichstrives for enlightenment, maintaining that serene reflectionmeditation is an absolutely pure religious exercise which in andof itself expresses Buddhahood.3. It is natural that the Buddhist religion which rejects theidea of an absolute God should declare that the essence of theBuddha, i.e., the Buddha Nature, is found in all men. BecauseBuddha Nature exists in all beings, It allows those who trainto realize enlightenment. The practice of serene reflection